The elevator chimes its arrival and I turn to see him step off. His black hair is still damp and pushed back from his face. The blue sweater he's wearing brings his eyes to life. They are so brilliantly blue. I run my eyes down his jeans before they settle on his black dress shoes. How does anyone look so amazing right after they shower?
"Are you hungry?" He pulls me into a quick embrace. It's as if the heated conversation we had in his dining room a few days ago never happened.
"Not really." I glance up into his eyes." I was just hoping we could talk about something."
"We will." He brushes his lips against the tip of my nose as his arm encircles my waist. "I haven't eaten yet. Let's go."
I follow his lead in silence. I came here to tell him that I was going to push my petty jealousy aside because I just wanted to enjoy every moment I could with him. Now, we're going out late at night to a restaurant. He hates restaurants and he loves having me in his apartment. How can I talk to him about not being jealous when it's all I can feel in this moment?
"Why can't we stay here?" I ask as he presses the elevator's call button. "Is your roommate here?"
His shoulders heave forward and I know he's disappointed by the question. "No, Sadie."
I turn my gaze down as I cross my arms on my chest. "Okay," I whisper.
"Every time we try and talk upstairs I end up ravishing you." A grin pulls on the corner of his lips. "I want that now too, but what happened the other day can't happen again. I want to talk in a neutral place and I want some food."
He has an answer for everything. Why is it so hard for me to believe him? I want to follow Alexa's advice and just take what I can from this. I have to do that. If I don't, I'm going to lose any time I have with him.
"Thai food?" I push myself into his chest.
"You are hungry, sunshine." He reaches for my hand, as the elevator swings open in the lobby. "Thai food it is."
Chapter 14
"I have a gift for you." He finally moves his hand from my thigh. He rested it there when we sat down at the table of a small, dimly lit restaurant. "Something I think it's important that you have."
"Is it the pen?" I ask expectantly. I've felt badly about it since the day he offered it to me and I threw it in his face.
"That's on your desk in your room at home." He smirks. "I put it there when I was snooping in your room the night of your mom's party."
"You were in my room before I got back up there?" I try to remember if anything seemed out of place. "How did you know it was my room?"
He blushes. It's the first time I've seen a pale pink tint rush over his face. "This is humiliating."
"You found my vibrator?" I grimace.
He throws his head back with gleeful laughter. "You have a vibrator?" The words are barely audible through the chuckles.
I scrunch my nose and nod my head quickly. "Now who is humiliated?"
"That wasn't it but you'll have to show me that and more importantly what you do with that." He winks at me.
"We'll see about that." I move the food around on my plate. "How did you know it was my room?"
He reaches between his legs to pull the wooden chair across the floor so his knees are touching mine. I don't hesitate when he brushes his soft lips against mine. I moan at the sensation of his tongue dueling with mine.
"You're the only woman who can make me hard with a kiss," he whispers into my mouth. "Only you."
I smile at the words. I want to be the only woman. That's what I want most. It's the only thing I truly want.
"I got on the bed and smelled your pillow. I breathed it in. I imagined being there with you." He lightly brushes his lips against mine again. "I could have stayed there forever."
Emotions course through me. I can't speak. I just nod slowly holding my hand to his cheek.
"The gift." He pulls back slightly and reaches into his pocket. "Close your eyes."
I hesitate. I'm so witless when I'm around him. He has the power to make me forget everything. He's doing that now.
"Close them." He reaches to lightly kiss my left eyebrow.
I close them and feel his hand opening mine. Something metal is there. It's a set of keys. My eyes pop open.
"These are keys to my place." He pulls my hand in a fist to cover the key fob. "They're for you."
I search his face for anything he can offer. "Why?"
"I don't want there to be any doubt." He brings my hand to his lips and kisses it.
"You don't have to do this." My hand pops open. "I don't want to push you into anything."
"I can't lose you, Sadie." He whispers as he presses his face into my neck. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep you."
***
"Did you make plans for me to meet your young man?" My father is standing in the doorway of my bedroom, leaning against the frame. "I'm anxious to meet him."
"Not yet." I turn to look at him. I thought I could bring the subject up last night after dinner but Hunter insisted on driving me home. The lingering doubt about someone being with him was quieted by the gift of the keys but I still had questions I knew he'd likely not answer.
"What about tonight?" He walks into the room and picks up the keys Hunter gave me that I threw onto my desk.
"I'll call and see if he's free." I scroll through my phone.
"What are these?" My father dangles the key fob in his hand.
"Just keys," I offer. He'll flip if I tell him that the keys are for Hunter's place.
He studies them as if they hold a clue to another wonder of the world. "Do you have your own place? These look like apartment keys."
"Just extra keys a friend gave me." I stand and scoop them out of his hand. "I've been thinking about getting a place though."
'You don't want to live in the dorms?" His eyes trailed the keys and they're focused on my hand now.
"I'd like more privacy." I sit on the edge of the bed. "Maybe I can get a small apartment close to campus."
"Have you talked to your mother about this?" He raises his gaze to my face. "You know how she feels about you living alone."
"I'm alone most of the summer when I'm here."
"The staff is always here," he says. He has no clue that when I'm here by myself I send them all away.
"I'm old enough to live alone. Alexa does." I sound like a petulant child. I don't care. I want my life to finally be my own life. Now that I know about Coral I don't feel as though I'm living my life for someone else. I want to live it for me.
"That girl is not a good example of anything, Sadie." He shakes his head and rolls his eyes.
"She's my best friend," I say curtly. "I'm going to start looking for a place next week."
"Let me know how much you need." He throws the words in my direction as he walks out of the room.
"I'm doing this myself," I call after him. "I don't need your help."
Chapter 15
"He's late." My father glances down at his wristwatch for what feels like the thirtieth time since we sat down at our table.
"He'll be here soon," I whisper while tapping out another text message to Hunter on my phone.
Please get here soon. My dad is flipping out.
"Who picked this place?" He brings the glass of scotch to his lips. "It's a bit too trendy for my taste."
My mother ignores our conversation, her gaze planted on a table where three men in their thirties are toasting with a rich burgundy.
"I picked it," I answer. It's a new place and I wanted to experience it with Hunter. Seeing how he rarely wants to eat out, dragging him here with my parents seemed like the ultimate trick to get him through the door.
"What's it called again?" My father throws his gaze around the room as if a neon sign is going to be flashing the name in his direction.
"Meteor." I sigh. It's now almost an hour past the time Hunter was supposed to meet us. I glare at the entrance willing him to walk through it.
I'm startled when my phone chimes signalling a new text.
I'm stuck in a meeting, sunshine. I can't leave. Give my regrets to your folks. H.
I feel my blood pressure rising as I read the words over and over again. He's not coming. He promised me earlier on the phone he'd be here. He even said in a text ninety minutes ago that he was on his way. The moment I texted him the name of the restaurant he fell silent. He had to have known his meeting might run late. Why didn't he tell me there was a chance he couldn't come?
"He's not coming, is he?" My father is already on his feet, his wallet in his hand.
I shake my head silently from side-to-side. Humiliation is pulling my voice within.
"We're leaving. We'll eat at that steakhouse by the courthouse. Let's go." He throws a few bills on the table as he barks at my mother.
"This was such a waste of time." My mother's gaze is still entranced by the trio of businessmen in the corner. "Are you coming or not?"
I pull myself from the chair feeling as though my feet weigh a ton. How could he do this to me? It was a simple request? It was just one meal. All I wanted was a few hours to show my father what an amazing man I'd met.
***
"Can you cover my shift on Saturday?" Alexa yanks hard on my ponytail causing my neck to snap back.
"Ouch," I scream at her. "Easy on the hair." I rub my hand over the back of my head. "You almost gave me whiplash, jerk."
"Sorry." She scrunches her lips together. "Can you do it?'
"Sure," I answer. I wasn't going to have plans. I hadn't heard from Hunter since he stood me up last night and I wasn't sure I wanted to hear from him anytime soon.
As if on cue he's standing at the counter. Sunglasses are covering his brilliant blue irises. His suit is dark, almost black and with his current stance he looks like a cross between a secret service agent and a hit man.
"Can I get you something?" Alexa pipes up and a wide smile pulls on her lips. "Coffee? Tea? Maybe me?"
"I'm here to see her." He motions over her head in my direction. "Sadie, take a break."
"You're him?" Alexa seems startled when she realizes it's Hunter beneath the dark glasses. "You look different."
He ignores her comment and pulls the glasses from his face. "Sadie, can you take a break?"
"I can't." I shrug my shoulders as I continue to restock the cup stoppers. "We're swamped today."
He cocks a brow as he circles his head around the almost empty bistro. "Take a break. This is important."
"Go." Alexa pushes on me. "Just go."
I throw her a steely gaze. Why doesn't she have my back on this? I told her on the way to work that Hunter stood me up and now she's practically throwing me into his arms.
"Five minutes," I warn as I take off my apron and follow him to a table near the front window.
"You're pissed about last night, aren't you?" He questions as I lower myself into the chair opposite him.
I scan his face, noting how tired he looks. "You stood me up. It was an important night for me and you just didn't bother to come."
"It's not like that." He reaches across the table with both hands to grab mine but I'm too quick and I retreat.
"What's it like then?" I challenge. "You said you'd be there and then suddenly you were too busy."
"Sometimes my clients aren't flexible." He leans back in his chair. I can tell I've bruised his enormous ego by not falling into his hands the moment he reached for me.
"What restaurant are you working on now?" I know the question reeks of distrust but I don't care. I want answers.
"It's in the early planning stages. They haven't named it yet." He looks past my head to the counter behind us.
"So what was the emergency?" I lean back now too. "If it's so early that it doesn't even have a name why did you have to stay?"
"It's more complicated than that, Sadie." I can hear the whispered tone of exasperation in his voice. "You wouldn't understand."
"Don't insult me." I cross my arms over my chest. "You didn't have the balls to come meet my dad and so you bailed at the last minute."
The thin smile that sweeps over his perfect lips doesn't go unnoticed by me. "You've seen them, Sadie. You're not questioning their size, are you?"
I can't help but smile back. "Don't do that. Don't talk about sex when I'm mad at you."
"Let me take you into the back room and I'll make you come so hard you won't ever be mad at me again."
I laugh at the remark. "I'm right, aren't I? You didn't want to meet him."
"I panicked," he admits. "I've never met the dad of a woman I'm dating before except for..." his voice trails.
"Except for Coral," I whisper.
He nods his head. "I'll make it up to you. We can plan another dinner with him."
"It's not that important," I skirt the truth. "We'll just see how this goes. I need to get back to work." I stand and walk back towards the counter, the weight of Coral's connection to him once again pushing on my shoulders.
Chapter 16
"He's never going to get over her. I'm right about that. Don't you think?" I open another of the doors in Alexa's kitchen looking for the spices.
"I don't know about that." She points to the cabinet above the stove. "You're kind of a reminder of her."
I can't turn back around to face her after the remark. The same thought keeps coursing through my mind. I'm the ultimate reminder of the girl who died when he was next to her. How does a person get past that?
"Should I end it now?" I ask in barely more than a whisper as I sort through the spices looking for something to season the salmon fillets I brought with me.
"No." I hear her rush up behind me. "You can make him forget her. You just have to lighten up."
"You don't know what it's like." I spin back around so I'm looking at her. "You can't know what it feels like that have her heart inside of me and to know that he's probably thinking about that every time he sees me."
"Maybe he sees you." She cups her hand over my cheek. "Maybe you're already making him forget her and that's hard for him."
"I don't know what you mean." I turn back towards the cabinets so I can begin a hunt for olive oil.
"Think about it." She reaches past me to retrieve the bottle of white wine she opened when I arrived. "You said he hasn't had a lot of serious relationships, right?"
"He's alluded to that," I sigh. "And I guess the fact that he only ever met Coral's dad says something about how casual his other relationships have been."
"I think Hunter is falling in love with you." She doesn't hesitate as she says the words. "I think you're making him forget Coral and since he thinks he's responsible for her death he's having trouble with that."
"You mean he feels guilty if he finally finds happiness?" I can feel my pulse racing at the mere suggestion that he's falling in love with me.
She nods as she refills her wine glass. "You're the one woman who is making him let go of all of that."
"I hope so." I exhale sharply as I turn back around to season the fish. "Nothing would make me happier."
***
Are you decent? I'm coming over.
I wait with baited breath for him to reply to my text. I'm sitting in a taxi in front of his building.
Turn around and see for yourself.
I crane my neck around to look behind me and I see him standing directly on the sidewalk in front of the building. He walks swiftly to the taxi's door as I push it open. I fumble in my purse for my wallet but before I can retrieve it he's pulling some bills out of the pocket of his suit's jacket. "Have a good night," he calls over the seat to the driver as he hands him the cash.
"How did you know I was in the taxi?" I sigh as he brushes his lips across my cheek.
"I can sense when you're close." He cocks a brow as he bends lower to kiss my lips. "It's my Sadie sense working."
I raise my brows in response. He's so charming, it's no wonder I keep feeling the pull back to him.
"Did you bring your keys?" He holds out his hand and I feel a tinge of disappointment rac
e through me. I don't want him to take them back. Maybe he's pissed after the way I dismissed him at the bistro the other day.
"I did." I let them fall into his palm.
"Mine are somewhere in my bag." He motions to the laptop bag he has strung over his shoulder. "I'll just borrow yours until we're inside."
I smile at the suggestion that the keys still belong to me. I follow him silently to the elevator and wait patiently as he scrolls through his phone after pressing the call button.
He reaches around to lazily run his hand down my back as we wait for the lift to arrive. I lean in closer to him, wanting to melt into his body. His hand moves lower, skirting the top of my jeans before he dips a finger just inside the waistband.
The bell signaling the elevator's arrival startles him and he jumps a touch. I giggle in response and he throws me a playful frown. I want it always to be like this. Even in utter silence I can feel the connection between us.
He drops his bag to the floor as the elevator door's slide closed and pulls me into a heated kiss. I'm taken back by the strength of his touch but I let him claim me. He pushes me against the wall, his knee separating my legs. "Do you know what I've thought about all day?" he growls into my ear.
"What?" I can barely find the breath to say the word.
"Tasting you. Being inside your tight little body. Fucking you, Sadie."
I moan at how brazen his words are. I can feel how erect he already is.
The elevator jolts to a stop and he pulls away just as abruptly as he grabbed me. I whine at the loss of his embrace and that brings a sly grin to his mouth. "Get in my apartment. Now." He guides me into the hallway.
I don't make it through the threshold of the door before I feel his hands on my waist. He scoops me up into his arms. I hear my purse hit the floor with a dull thud as he kicks his shoes off in route to his bedroom.
I'm thrown onto the bed. There are no words spoken. There doesn't need to be. His lips find mine again and he's aggressive with his kiss. He's biting my lips, nibbling at my tongue. His hands are pulling my clothes from my body. I feel my jeans being pulled down and my panties ripped off. He fumbles with the tie on my wrap around shirt. I reach down to help but he pushes my hands away, his lips never leaving mine. I hear the shirt's fabric as he pulls it apart. He's ripping it, clawing at my skin. He's an animal. An animal hungry for anything he can take.
Exposed - Part Two (The Exposed Series, #2) Page 5
